


Of Foxes And Stars

by cornstarchandwater96



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Did I Mention Angst?, Enemies to Lovers, Jinyoung jumps to the future, M/M, Winner and NCT members are mentioned too, minor!2jae, minor!dojae, other members are minor characters, pls hug jinyoung the baby is sad and confused, wang gae park gae, where everyone is in their thirties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27507784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cornstarchandwater96/pseuds/cornstarchandwater96
Summary: Once upon a time, in the depths of the magical woodland,there lived a fox.A Jinson Time Travel AU for the FTG fic fest!
Relationships: Park Jinyoung/Jackson Wang
Comments: 11
Kudos: 54
Collections: For The Gaes 1





	Of Foxes And Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [FTG1](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/FTG1) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Jinyoung and Jackson are happily in love and have been together for a few years. But one day Jinyoung woke up and he finds himself 10 years in the future, engaged to a stranger and is hated by someone who Jinyoung thought was the (only) love of his life. So now Jinyoung tries to figure out what had happened between him and Jackson and how to get back to his own time to stop this future from happening.
> 
> A lot of angst and enemies to lovers (again)!
> 
> @fendisae on twitter
> 
> I hope you enjoy this fic, [peachérie](https://twitter.com/saevous?s=21)! Your prompt was so compelling, I had to write it! <3

_Once upon a time, in the depths of the magical woodland,_

_there lived a fox._

_The fox was gentle and quiet, but he possessed a dignified grace that the other animals envied._

_He never let it show, but the fox loved the tiny lights that danced in the sky every time the sun bid goodbye. He felt connected to them, somehow. Every night, he would stare up at the sky and bask in the comfort brought by the twinkling light sifting through the leaves of the trees._

_How the fox wished he could curl up in the sky next to them and feel their warmth against his soft coat of fur. He would close his eyes and wish for it oh so fervently every night._

_One night, the rattlesnake told him of the quest to find and speak with the Forest Queen. Legend had it that Her Highness would grant one wish to the first of the pure hearted to have an audience with her._

“How long does the fox stare up at the stars every night…?” Jackson hummed sleepily from his position on Jinyoung’s lap.

“You’re really gonna interrupt story time for a question like that?” Jinyoung huffed, but both of them knew there was no real bite in his words.

“It’s a valid question!” The older man countered, pouting to emphasize his point. “If it were real love, the fox would lose all sense of time, don’t you think?”

“Speaking from experience?” Jinyoung commented, the edge of his mouth twitching up in a small, amused grin.

“Well, I’m losing my senses right now,” Jackson quipped, matching Jinyoung’s grin with a bright one of his own. “And I’m staring at you, aren’t I?”

“Since when did you get this mushy, Seun-ah? You’re starting to get cheesier than Jaehyun, and that says a _lot_ ,” the younger’s grin widened, and his eyes started to crinkle. “Doie yells at me about it at least once a day.”

Jackson laughed, reaching up to gently cup Jinyoung’s face in his palm. The younger leaned towards the warm touch and his smile softened.

“This is just me making up for all the nasty shit I said to you in the first few years of college, Nyoung,” Jackson stated with a hint of seriousness in his expression. “Honestly, I was _such_ an ass.”

“To be fair, I was equally an ass. We hated each other back then. I mean, you were the popular jock, and I was the prissy classmate who wouldn’t lend you my notes,” Jinyoung replied. “It was a recipe for disaster, for all out _campus war_!”

Jackson rolled his eyes and snorted. “You definitely _had an ass_ though,” He grinned as Jinyoung smacked his chest. 

“I don’t even remember when and how things changed.”

“I don’t think it matters how things changed, really. What matters is that we did. Sure we butted heads in freshman year, but we don’t even think about any of that now,” Jinyoung murmured as he ran his fingers through Jackson’s soft amber locks. 

“I mean we’re about to graduate, our friends are sick of our PDA, and I’m reading you a story I’ve _never_ shared with anyone else before. I’d take this over any of our pre-relationship angst and tension any day.”

Jackson burst out laughing and sat up to latch himself onto Jinyoung’s shoulder like a heavy sloth. 

“I’m pretty sure we still have a _lot_ ,” he said as he looked up at Jinyoung with exaggerated bedroom eyes and an accentuated eyebrow wiggle. “of _tension_.”

Jinyoung gave Jackson a hard stare and snorted, jerking his shoulder up to dislodge his boyfriend from his current position. “Ha ha ha, keep it in your pants, Seunnie. I gotta go in an hour and I won’t be back until around 10pm.”

“Huh? I thought you were gonna spend the day with me?” Jackson whined, crawling forward to bring Jinyoung back into a cuddle. “You were reading me your story!”

“Well I was just one page in, and some genius decided to cut me off with a silly question!” Jinyoung countered, his eyes shining with mirth.

He loved seeing this side of Jackson. The fencing team captain would never let his teammates know that he whined and pouted when things didn’t go his way. Cute.

“Let’s save it for later when I get back, okay? It’ll be a bedtime story.”

“Fine,” Jackson grumbled as Jinyoung walked to their shared bedroom to look for a change of clothes. “I’ll wait up for you. Where are you going anyway?”

“To Mino’s house. I promised him we’d work on the track together today,” Jinyoung called out.

“Mino? Wait, what track?”

Jinyoung poked his head out of the room, noticing that Jackson’s tone changed slightly. His eyebrows scrunched together because he knew this tone, and he knew the look Jackson had.

He had to tread the waters carefully from here on. This was the face Jackson made before every single heated argument they had years ago.

“The track for our final project? We paired up for it,” Jinyoung explained, walking back to the couch.

“You paired up with _Mino_? Nyoung, I thought _we_ were gonna be partners for that!” Jackson griped. He looked like he was trying his best to keep his frustration in.

“Babe, Mino’s my _best friend_. We planned on being partners for this since freshman year! I thought you knew? I thought you understood?” Jinyoung said, his voice starting to sound frustrated too. Were they really going to fight over something this small?

“It isn’t even just this project! You partner up with him for every project in that class, even if I ask you to help me out,” Jackson stood up from the couch and trained his angry eyes on the younger. “You know you can just be honest and tell me that you think my producing skills are _shit_ compared to Mino’s, ok? I won’t even be offended.”

“ _Jackson_ , it’s not about that!” Jinyoung started to raise his voice, his anger increasing. What was wrong with Jackson today? “This has nothing to do with your capabilities, okay? I just had a deal with my best friend. What’s so hard to understand? Don’t you have something like that with your best friend?”

_Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Shut up, Jinyoung._

“Do you even have a best friend?”

_Fuck. Take it back. Take it back NOW. What are you saying?!_

Jinyoung knew the moment Jackson shut him off. He could see it in his face; the shocked eyes that turned cold in a flash, the sharp jaw, the clenched fist.

“What’s hard to understand? _Hard to understand_? Jinyoung, I’ve been so _fucking_ understanding. You’ve spent more time in Song Minho’s house than in our apartment ever since we moved in together! What am I _supposed_ to understand?!” 

Jackson’s raised voice turned into a yell, his hands flailing wildly in his irritation. 

“And don’t give me that crap. I have a best friend. Mark and Youngjae are my best friends. They’ve been there for me even before you were. They just _understand_ how much I love you, and how much time I want to make up for. I mean, you’re ‘best friends’ with Jaebeom, Bambam, and Doyoung too, and I don’t see you going to _their_ houses almost every day. Would it kill you to spend less time with Mino?”

Jinyoung abandoned all reason after Jackson’s rebuttal. “Why are you making it sound like I don’t want to spend time with you when all I’m doing is hanging out with a friend? We both have our own lives, Jackson. Mine doesn’t revolve around you! You’re my boyfriend, but you have _no_ right to tell me who to spend my free time with!”

He bit his lip, trying his best not to even let any of his frustrated tears pool in his eyes. He walked back to the room, took his bag, and walked to the main door.

“Don’t expect me to come home tonight. I’ll be at Jaebeom hyung’s,” he called out without looking back at Jackson and walked out the door.

✧

“Come on hyung, pick up,” Jinyoung mumbled as he walked in the general direction of his childhood friend’s apartment. 

He and Jaebeom had been friends ever since they could even remember having friends, and had no reason to lose touch with each other even when Jaebeom decided to drop out of college to pursue his passion in producing. Jaebeom was the only person he trusted enough to vent to about any of his problems – especially if it concerned his boyfriend of two years.

He hung up from the unanswered call, standing helplessly on the sidewalk until the shrill ring of his phone startled him. The caller ID flashed on the screen with an incoming call from _Wang Gae ❤️._

Jinyoung’s thumb hovered a bit over the green button before biting his lip and dropping the call.

He dialled Jaebeom’s number again, not giving Jackson the chance to get his call through.

His eyesight was getting increasingly blurred with every step he took, but he refused to admit that he was about to cry. Now that he thought about it, this was their first major fight since they officially got together. 

He shouldn’t be feeling this lost and frustrated. He’d been here before. He’d been here several times before, especially in the first few volatile and turbulent years of college when Jackson Wang was still “that bastard” instead of “my shining star”.

Just as his friend picked up the call, the dial tone from his phone was replaced by a ringing in his ears and a jolt of pain in his temples.

Jinyoung screwed his eyes shut in reflex, squeezing the tears forcefully down his cheeks. He cradled his head with his arms, crumpling into a ball on the pavement. Red-hot streaks of light at the back of his eyelids matched the searing heat seemingly crawling from his nape to the top of his head. 

Then, a white flash engulfed his senses, and all he could do was succumb to the darkness that followed.

✧

_The fox searched high and low for the Forest Queen, asking directions from the animals he met along the way._

_It had been two long days and two long nights; the fox never stopped to rest. He had to keep going because it was all for his beloved light. Each night, he would sit on a rock and stare up at the sky._

_“Wait for me, my love. I will be with you soon,” the fox said, his eyes shut tight._

_The stars twinkled even brighter that night, as if to convey their excitement. One star shone brighter than the rest. The fox gazed at it and smiled. It was his guiding star._

_With renewed energy, the fox scurried forward, with the light of his star to guide him._

_For two more days and two more nights, the fox leapt across the woodland. Eventually, he came across a vast grassland. It was void of the tall trees the fox was accustomed to, of the large bushes he and his friends loved to hide in, and of the creeping vines that hung low from the branches. There was just verdant grass and clear blue skies as far as his eyes could see._

_The fox was in awe. He stood back and took a deep breath just to take in the sheer beauty of the nature that surrounded him. It was as if the blades of grass were twinkling in the sunlight. Although, the shimmer of the grass was still incomparable to the glimmer of the night sky._

_The fox was about to continue his trek when suddenly, a blinding light shone from the middle of the clearing. The fox slowly removed his tail from where he used it to shield his eyes, and approached the light cautiously._

_“Good day to you, young fox,” a sweet voice wafted from the radiant glow. “How did you find me?”_

_“Good day. Who are you? Why are you glowing…?” the fox asked, and a chuckle wafted through the cold breeze._

_“It seems there is not a single fiber of ill intent in you, young fox,” the voice replied. “I am glad that I have met you.”_

_“It is nice to meet you too. Why are you all alone in this clearing? Would you like me to accompany you for a while?” the fox continued his barrage of curious queries. “But it pains me to say that I can only stay with you for a short while. I must continue on my journey, you see.”_

_“A journey, you say? Where does this journey lead?”_

_“I am not sure. My dear friend has instructed me to look for the Forest Queen. I must ask her for help.”_

_“Why do you need her help, young fox?” the voice continued to waft through the air, leaving a pleasant echo around the fox._

_“It is my wish to be with my beloved. I must try to convince Her Highness to help me find a path to them.”_

_“Where does your beloved live, young fox?”_

_“I am in love with the dancing lights that live in the night sky. Some of my friends call them the stars, but I just see them as my light. How I wish I could meet and embrace them.”_

_Then, the glowing light shimmered away to reveal the silhouette of a woman. She stood there in the middle of the grassland with waves of golden hair flowing down to her feet. Her beautiful gown draped over her enchantingly, and her smile was alluring._

_“My dear young fox, is this your wish?”_

_The fox bowed down, realizing that he was face to face with the Forest Queen herself. He felt foolish for not realizing he was in the presence of royalty._

_“Yes, Your Highness. It is all I’ve ever wished for. I stare at the sky every night, waiting for the chance to meet my love.”_

_“I warn you, young fox. It will be a dark, perilous road. I’m afraid I cannot bring you close to the stars easily. There is a darkness you must overcome. Once you close your eyes, you must use all your strength to open them again.”_

_“You must open your eyes, young fox.”_

✧

“Open your eyes, Jinyoung-ah. Wake up! Helloooo?”

Jinyoung felt himself grimace for a few seconds before gradually floating back to consciousness. His whole body hurt, but his head hurt twice as much. It felt as if his brain was frozen like a popsicle just to be smashed into shards.

“Jackson…?” Jinyoung mumbled. He was pretty sure he left their apartment just a few minutes prior. Did they resolve their fight without him knowing?

“Jackson? Wow, you’re _definitely_ hungover, Nyoung. I didn’t think I’d hear that name again after all these years,” a strange voice commented. It sounded both familiar and foreign, soothing and discomforting; like mismatched furniture in his living room. Jinyoung knew one thing for certain.

It didn’t give him nearly as much comfort as Jackson’s voice did.

Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, and the blurry figure by his bedside gradually came into focus. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second as recognition dawned on him like a crashing wave.

“Mino?”

✧

_The fox knew his eyes were open, but he couldn’t see a thing._

_He tried to turn his head in every direction, but he couldn’t find a single glimmer of light._

_Where was he?_

_Rooted to his spot, the fox felt his chest fill with a multitude of unidentifiable emotions. He was confused, lost, desperate, and terrified all at once. The darkness felt nothing like home._

_Left with no other choice, the fox did what any other sensible animal could do._

_He took a shaky step forward._

✧

Jinyoung scanned around the room with wide eyes, taking in increasingly strained breaths as he took in the interior of the room that was clearly not his. Not _theirs_. The walls were too blue, the shelves too neat, the bed too big.

Even his best friend didn’t look _right_. Mino looked different for a reason Jinyoung couldn’t pinpoint. His style was all wrong, he had darker circles under his eyes, and he looked nothing like the Song Minho that Jinyoung knew. Was this some weirdly elaborate prank that his friends were trying to pull?

Something glowing in his periphery caught his eye, and he jerked his head to his right, but the glowing stayed in his peripheral vision. He blinked and belatedly realized that the small shimmers formed _words_ in front of him, like he was wearing a helmet with a built-in display screen.

With a tiny gasp, he ran his hands around his head, and was shocked to feel thick locks of hair between his fingers instead of cold metal. Trying to quell the rising panic, he took a deep breath and tried to focus on the words blinking in front of him. 

It felt so surreal. Just above his line of sight, he could see a tiny symbol of a sun and the words _13% chance of precipitation_ beside it. Right in front of him was a glaring _22 unread e-mails_ enclosed in a white rectangle. It disappeared when he blinked again.

On the top right corner, Jinyoung finally caught a glimpse of the date.

_12th of September, 2028._

2028.

2028? Was it a glitch? He could’ve sworn the year was 2018.

Suddenly the foreign feeling made so much _sense_ , and the rising panic was threatening to cascade over his heart and mind like a menacing tsunami about to engulf a whole island.

No.

He was not going to panic.

He had to get his shit together. This _had_ to be some hyper-realistic dream.

“Mino, can you punch my face?” he muttered a bit frantically, and his best friend let out a hearty laugh in response.

“Yeah, you aren’t just hungover, you’re _still drunk_ ,” Mino exclaimed in an amused tone and snickered. “I knew putting Doyoung and Bambam in charge of your bachelor party was a bad idea, just look at you now!”

“B-Bachelor party…?”

_What?_

“What did those brats give you, Nyoung? Amnesia??” Mino added. “Your bachelor party! Like the ones people do when they’re about to get married? I’d like to have my fiancé back on earth, thank you very much.”

“Fiancé? Who…?”

“Oh for the love of–” Mino rolled his eyes and handed Jinyoung a glass of water and what looked like two holographic-silver patches. “Drink this and put those on your arms. The things I do for you, really…”

Jinyoung stared blankly at Mino as his best friend grinned and ruffled his hair before getting up from the edge of the bed. Now that Mino was standing at full height, he finally realized just how much _older_ the other looked. He was taller, and his body was more defined. He looked like he worked out regularly now – he even lost the chubby features he sported ten years ago. He looked great, but Jinyoung found it weird that the other was wearing black slacks and a button down instead of his go-to joggers and baggy shirt.

“You can thank me later, though. I know today’s your day off, but I still have to go to the studio. There’s breakfast on stasis in the dining room, and a fresh pot of coffee too. I’ll be back as soon as I can okay, babe?” Mino explained as he rummaged through the dresser.

_Babe??_

“Mino,” Jinyoung said, a million questions running through his brain.

“Hmm?”

“I…” Jinyoung started, but the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. “Can you hand me my phone?”

Mino sent him a fond smile, and Jinyoung felt a bit relieved to see that it was the same smile his best friend gave him whenever he was being particularly difficult to handle. Finally, something familiar.

A few seconds later, Jinyoung was handed a thin rectangular object. It certainly felt like a phone, but damned if he thought it looked like one. It was almost transparent, save for the outlines of what would look like a smartphone. He turned it around in his hand, and he instantly thought it was plucked right out of an Iron Man movie.

_I didn’t even watch superhero movies until Jackson dragged me to the cinema for Iron Man II… I wonder if he ended up getting a weird helmet-screen for himself. He always wanted an Iron Man helmet._

He shook his head to dispel his bittersweet musings. Luckily, Mino misunderstood the gesture and thought that he was struggling to unlock the phone. Jinyoung was silently thankful that the other thought he was just too drunk to function. Mino took Jinyoung’s wrist and made him wave in front of the screen, and he jolted in surprise as his phone’s home screen applications popped up and out of the rectangle like a 3D hologram.

“Just put the patch on, Nyoung. You’ll feel better, I promise. Will you be okay on your own? I really have to go. I have a schedule in an hour,” Mino mumbled, his eyes showing his concern.

Jinyoung forced out a small smile. “I’ll be fine Minho. I’ll be right here when you get back. I have a day of rest and relaxation ahead of me. Now shoo!”

“Calling me by my real name, wow so scary~” His best friend just chuckled and bent down to kiss his forehead. Jinyoung had to push down the urge to wince.

When he heard the muffled sound of a door clicking closed, Jinyoung flopped back down on the bed, suddenly feeling his headache increase tenfold. He chucked the weird holographic patches across the room, his frustration building up to its peak before it deflated again and he sunk deeper into the comforter. He raised his weird new phone to his face, and spent the next few hours trying to figure out how to use it.

He was so glad Naver still existed after ten years.

After he figured out how to type, he quickly searched for Jackson’s name. He didn’t even know what to expect from the Naver search, he just figured he’d find an article at best, and a social media account if luck wasn’t on his side.

The browser loaded up, and Jinyoung choked back a sob when he saw the results page.

**_Interview With Olympic Prospect Jackson Wang: An Inspiring story of Heartbreak and Motivation_ **

**_Fencing Wonder Jackson Wang’s Road To Tokyo 2020_ **

**_Olympic Gold Medalist Jackson Wang Nabs His Second At Paris 2024_ **

The list of articles went on, and Jinyoung couldn’t look away.

 _Fencing was his backup as much as writing was mine. They’ve always been_ just _backups. We promised to make music together…_

_What happened?_

Jinyoung screwed his eyes shut as he felt another painful throb at his temple. This was too much to handle all at once. He was already slowly getting used to the fact that he jumped _ten years into the future_ by some miracle, and now he was confronted by all of this information that felt so inexplicably and undeniably _wrong_.

He wrapped the duvet tightly around himself and took some deep breaths before searching his own name in the tab.

He immediately jerked away from his phone when the page loaded, the harsh blue light from the hologram glaring at him like Jinyoung wasn’t the one offended by what he saw.

**_New York Times Bestselling Author Park Jinyoung and World-Class Rapper/Songwriter Song Mino To Tie The Knot At The End of September_ **

_“I mean, I’d like to have my fiancé back on earth, thank you very much.”_

_“I didn’t think I’d hear that name again after all these years.”_

_“I’ll be back as soon as I can okay, babe?”_

They were getting married.

He and Mino.

_Married. This month._

What went wrong? Why did he jump ten years into the future? Why wasn’t his name beside Jackson’s in that article? _What the fuck?_

So many raging thoughts muddled his brain, and Jinyoung felt confusion on every level. His chest felt tight, and he could barely let in a breath. The room suddenly felt a lot smaller, like the walls were closing in on him and he had no way out. He jolted up and away from the large bed and stumbled to what he assumed was a closet behind the huge, floor-to-ceiling door on the adjacent wall. 

He pulled on the door, and was met with a multi-tiered revolving rack of clothes. In any other circumstance, Jinyoung would’ve been highly impressed with his past self ( _or was it his present self? Ah, this is too confusing_ ) for his taste in walk-in-closets. Now, though, he was a bit too preoccupied with his attempt to choose a decent outfit while trying to calm his anxiety-ridden heart. Jinyoung eventually picked out a pair of dark gray ankle-cropped slacks (there seemed to be an abundance of these), a comfortable white v-neck shirt, a thick knitted gray cardigan, and a wooly cream scarf. It would have to do. 

The sensible voice in his head was all but screaming _“Don’t go outside, you have no idea where you are. Do you even know what the world looks like now?”,_ but Jinyoung couldn’t care less. All he wanted to do was _leave_. He didn’t know what else to do, and he didn’t feel like he belonged in this apartment at all.

So, against better judgement, he took his phone, looked for what seemed like his wallet, and shuffled out of the room. It took a bit more time to maneuver around the unfamiliar rooms and hallways of the apartment, so he let out a small sigh of relief when he finally found the entrance. He slipped on a pair of sandals by the front hall and pushed the door open.

Jinyoung didn’t realize he held his breath until he let out a deep sigh as he stepped out of the apartment complex. He closed his eyes and inhaled the crisp autumn air. Fall had always been his favorite. It was just the right temperature for him, and it meant Chuseok was just around the corner. He could only imagine how much more stressful it would’ve been had he woken up to a different season. 

He basked in the chilly wind for a while before his trance was interrupted by a chiming sound. He opened his eyes, and nearly jumped when he saw a caller ID pop up in front of him.

_Doie Is My Favorite Son_

Jinyoung chuckled despite his obvious fear and anxiety. Trust Doyoung to stay the same. He stood by the sidewalk for a few minutes trying to figure out how on earth he could convince his friend that he was indeed the thirty-four year old he was supposed to be, but started to freak out when he blinked unintentionally and the call patched through.

“Hyung!” 

Doyoung’s face filled the non-existent screen in front of him, and it took every fiber in Jinyoung’s being not to crumple down to the pavement and cry. The years were definitely kind on the younger. It didn’t look like he aged a day, but Doyoung was obviously past thirty. His cheekbones were more defined, his face became more chiseled, but his skin was still flawless. It made Jinyoung’s lips twitch up in a small smile.

“Hey, Doie. What’s up?” He answered, trying his best to sound like he wasn’t experiencing the worst day of his life.

“Doie…? You haven’t called me that since– Oh _shit_. What day is it today??” Hologram Doyoung’s eyes grew wide, and his tone sounded a bit frantic towards the end of his sentence.

“September 12. Why?”

“Fuck. _Fuck fuck fuck._ It’s _today_. I’m so sorry hyung, I should’ve been there at your apartment earlier!”

“Huh? What’s today? Doie, you’re scaring me…” Jinyoung’s eyebrows scrunched together, and realization hit him like a heavy anvil to the head. Today was obviously a day important to his alternate self, and if he didn’t come up with something fast, Doyoung would see through his act. He bit his lip, trying hard to think of something to say.

_Come on, Jinyoung. You’re a damn writer. Think of a story!_

Jinyoung was focused on coming up with an elaborate lie about his inability to remember when Doyoung spoke again, and effectively threw him off.

“Hyung, you must be feeling so confused right now. Can you stay in your apartment for a while until I get there?”

_Huh…?_

“What are you talking about, Doyoung?”

“I know hyung. I know what just happened. Please, stay there. I’ll be there in a few.”

Jinyoung’s eyes grew as wide as Doyoung’s in shock. Was the other talking about his time travel?

“W-Wait,” Jinyoung managed to squeak out, despite the fear constricting his throat.

“What’s wrong, hyung?”

“I… I don’t wanna stay in that apartment…”

Doyoung leveled him with a calculating look through the screen before it turned softer, gentler. Jinyoung felt twice as vulnerable now that the people of the future developed a version of Facetime that matched their eye levels. Even if he looked away, he could almost _feel_ Doyoung’s watchful stare.

“There’s a small cafe around the corner from where you are, hyung. Their coffee is amazing,” the younger suggested with his wide, gummy smile. It was all Jinyoung needed to let relief flood through him in waves. “Go get some for us, okay? I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.”

“Ten years pass,” he quipped with an exasperated tone despite the cheerful grin blossoming on his face, “and Kim Dongyoung _still_ loves burning a hole through my wallet?”

“It’s my life’s mission!” Doyoung exclaims before giving a small two-fingered salute and dropping the call.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes, but his grin didn’t falter as he went on his quest to put some caffeine into his system.

✧

Even after two venti cups of iced americano, Jinyoung, unfortunately, still didn’t think he had enough coffee to deal with his current situation.

_It only took ten more years for people to invent hover-cars?!_

He blinked and rubbed at his eyes before he gaped at the sleek vehicle in front of him. At first glance, Doyoung’s car looked unassuming. It looked like it was modeled after a Chevrolet Fleetmaster, with a beige body and cherry-red double-stripe decals on the hood – very Doyoung-like for his car to look like a simple vintage car that obviously cost a billion and a half notwithstanding. 

If he disregarded the fact that the car was _floating two feet above the ground_ with _thrusters_ in its underbelly instead of wheels, he would’ve lauded the younger for his cultural integrity. 

Or probably call him a hipster; that also seemed plausible.

“You like it?” Doyoung interrupted his inner monologue from the driver’s seat. “Oh, don’t be so surprised. You have one of these too. Your model’s even better than mine. What did you order for me?”

“Caramel Latte,” Jinyoung mumbled, staring in awe as the passenger door hissed and glided upward. 

He climbed into the seat and placed the coffee into the cup holder in the middle. The interior of the car looked similar enough to the cars in the past that he didn’t feel the need to look around and gawk like a three year old boy.

“Aww, I’m kinda touched that you remember what coffee I liked,” Doyoung cooed, then pressed a button to shut the door. 

“ _I’m_ surprised you haven’t changed your usual coffee order for something less diabetes-inducing…” Jinyoung retorted as he held up a white paper bag and smiled. “I’m assuming you still like eating this too?”

“Is that–”

“Cream cheese bread.”

“You are an angel sent from heaven, hyung,” Doyoung’s eyes glimmered in appreciation. “Keep it with you though. I’ll eat it later.”

“Where are we going, Doie?” Jinyoung asked, taking a sip from his third cup of coffee.

“Our apartment. Jaehyun’s at work, but he knows I picked you up. He said he’ll try to get home as soon as he can; told me to say hi and he misses you.”

“So are you and Jae… I mean– You’re still–”

“We got married last year,” Doyoung answered with a soft smile, and started to drive off. “He’s still a pain in the ass most of the time, and still cheesy as hell, but we’re good. We’ve always been good.”

“I’m happy for you Doie,” Jinyoung croaked. He bit his trembling lip, trying his best to repress the despair for his own relationship. If Doyoung picked up on his distress, the younger certainly improved his poker face.

“Thanks hyung.”

For all the bravado that Doyoung showed, he couldn’t mask the concern laced between his words. Jinyoung huffed and waved his hand in a gesture that hoped to quell his friend’s worries.

_Think of happy thoughts, Jinyoung. These thoughts are all you have._

✧

“You _what_??”

“Sit back down on the couch, hyung. I know how it sounds, but I promise this will all make more sense soon. Just let me explain, okay?” Doyoung pleaded with a soft voice. Jinyoung merely sighed. He slumped back down on the wide couch, pulling a large bunny plush towards him and hugging it as he lifted his bare feet and curled up in a ball. 

Doyoung walked to another room for a bit, then came back with a glass of what Jinyoung presumed was ice-cold water (or a vodka-sprite, he so desperately wanted it to be a vodka-sprite). The younger placed the glass in front of Jinyoung on the table, and sat cross-legged beside the older to face him.

“I’m so confused,” Jinyoung murmured softly into the stuffed toy. “Did you say you _sent me here_?”

“Yes. I sent you to the future,” Doyoung admitted slowly, as though he was attempting to explain how photosynthesis worked to a six year old.

“How…?”

“It’s my job, hyung. I’m a Rifter,” Doyoung started, smiling in an attempt to put Jinyoung at ease.

“A Rifter?”

“Yes. We use this,” the younger pulled out a small rectangular object from his pocket, “to travel through time rifts – small rips in space and time.” 

“Is that… a _beeper_?” Jinyoung asked with a grimace of distaste.

“I mean, it was the most inconspicuous looking gadget they could come up with I guess,” Doyoung shrugged, then continued explaining since he seemed to trust that Jinyoung was smart enough to follow the conversation smoothly.

“Five years ago, the American government discovered the first time rift; and since then, they spent millions of dollars on related research. The money didn’t go to waste, that’s for sure. They figured out how to manipulate the rotation of quarks to essentially deconstruct someone and reconstruct them in a different time and place. It took years for them to perfect it, really. But now it’s so common that people already capitalized on it,” Doyoung joked.

“Rifters,” Jinyoung offered, and Doyoung nodded, looking pleased that Jinyoung understood.

“Exactly. That’s where we come into the picture. Other researchers found out that the time rifts existed because of emerging timelines that weren’t supposed to exist.”

“Wait, sorry. You lost me there…” Jinyoung trailed, scrunching his eyebrows.

“How do I put this?” Doyoung pondered, hand on his chin. 

“There are some moments in our lives that we Rifters call Pivotals. These are decisions we make that have greater bearing on our lives. They don’t necessarily have to be _difficult_ decisions, but they’re choices that affect our future so much that it can create an alternate timeline that’s inconsistent with the original one meant for us.”

“It doesn’t have to be a difficult choice? What does that mean?”

“Hmmm. Well, I wouldn’t have met Jaehyun if I hadn’t chosen to order another cup of coffee during finals week of freshman year. I was in line for that second cup when Jaehyun accidentally spilled coffee on my shirt, and the rest was history,” Doyoung chuckled, and Jinyoung allowed himself to laugh with his friend. The puzzle pieces were starting to form in his mind even if he was still mostly confused.

“Anyway, so if we chose the ‘wrong’ path during one of our Pivotals, our lives would change so drastically that it would create a time rift,” his friend continued. “It’s my job to travel through those rifts and try to fix them.”

“How do you fix a time rift?”

“It gets tricky, really. For every mission we get, we’re assigned to a Subject. The Subject is the person who causes the rip in time and space with their alternative decision. You were my Subject for the time rift in 2018.”

“What did I do wrong?”

“It’s against the rules for us to tell you… I’m sorry hyung,” Doyoung mumbled apologetically. “The time rift can only be repaired if the Subject figures out their Pivotal naturally. When I went back to 2018, I thought that the best thing I could do was to send you to the future to help you figure it out.”

Jinyoung burrowed further into the bunny plush, his mind reeling with all the information unceremoniously dumped on him.

“Do you know where Jackson is now?” Jinyoung murmured suddenly, feeling resolute.

“Wha–”

“I need to talk to him, Doyoung. Things will finally make sense if I talk to him.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, hyung…” Doyoung trailed off, his gaze a mix of empathy and apprehension.

Jinyoung gnawed at his bottom lip, feeling the fear creep back up his spine. For the first time since he woke up in this crazy Tron-esque future, he allowed himself to really think about Jackson. _His_ Jackson. 

“I have to _try_ …” Jinyoung said, his voice whittling down to a whisper. He let out a shaky breath. “I just– I miss hearing his voice…”

Jinyoung glanced at Doyoung and saw the younger stare at him in disbelief for a moment before his expression changed. Maybe his friend noticed the quiet, but compelling, desperation that Jinyoung felt. 

His friend sighed, and took his phone to type something. His phone chimed right after, alerting Jinyoung to a new message.

“I sent you his address. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Doyoung griped, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll be right here with Jae if you need us, alright? Our doors are always open for you, hyung.”

Jinyoung gave his friend a grateful smile and a small hug before bidding him goodbye and stepping back into the fresh autumn air.

✧

Jinyoung fumbled with his scarf to keep his hands from trembling.

He was lucky that Jackson apparently had some friends over already, or he’d have to come up with an elaborate excuse so the lady in reception would be convinced he wasn’t a rabid fan (or a serial killer) and allow him access to the penthouse suite.

The elevator slid to a stop and its doors opened, revealing a short walkway to Jackson’s unit. He stepped towards the tall black door, huffed out a lungful of air, and rang the doorbell before he could run away. He had no way of predicting how things would go from here, and he felt all of the nerves in his body go into overdrive. 

His breath hitched when he heard the unmistakable sound of Jackson’s laughter on the other side of the door. His heart clenched with longing, wondering how the years had treated the older. Was he taller? Did he keep the beard and mustache? Was his voice gruff now? His inner musings were cut off when the door opened, and for a few seconds, Jinyoung had a glimpse of the older man.

Jackson was a man, alright.

His body filled out with defined muscles (from being a star athlete, Jinyoung presumed). His hair was a deep wine red and was put up in a half-bun, but if he let it loose, Jinyoung reckoned it would go past his shoulders. His jaw chiseled out, and it looked like he sported some tattoos over the years as well.

Jackson Wang in his thirties was breathtaking.

Up until Jackson’s smile withered away into a deep scowl as he realized who _exactly_ was at his door.

They stared at each other for a moment, and an apology was on the tip of Jinyoung’s tongue. He wasn’t even sure what he was apologizing _for_ , really, though it was probably a mix of everything – for not spending enough time with Jackson, for storming off after an argument that they could’ve talked about, for whatever it was that drove a wedge between them after ten years. He opened his mouth to speak, but Jackson beat him to it.

“Get out.”

Jackson spoke with so much venom in his voice that Jinyoung felt the sharp sting of his words pierce his soul. He could almost hear his heart shatter as the door slammed shut in front of him.

Jinyoung stood there, staring blankly at a spot on Jackson’s door where the paint was starting to peel. His mind was desperately trying to come to terms with what just transpired, and frankly, he couldn’t reconcile his Jackson ( _sweet, loving Jackson_ ) with the Jackson that looked at him in obvious disgust.

_“Jackson? I didn’t think I’d hear that name again after all these years.”_

_“I don’t think that’s a good idea, hyung…”_

Finally, he let his tears fall.

It was so unsettling to see the older stare at him with that much fury. Jinyoung never wanted any of this to happen, and he would give anything to be basking in the comfort of their couch, reading stories to the only person he thought he’d ever love.

Only, now it was apparent that Jackson no longer shared the same sentiment.

✧

“I’m gonna kill Kim Doyoung.”

Jackson was _seething._ He finally had a month off, and this night was supposed to be a chill celebration for his latest olympic win. Between exhausting interviews, early flights, and rigid training sessions, he barely had any time to relax; let alone spend time with his friends. Granted, not everyone in their friend group was available tonight, but Yugyeom and Jinu were finally able to wriggle out of their own musical rehearsals to catch up with him. Every minute was precious time spent with precious people.

And Park Jinyoung had to ruin it all.

 _Jinyoung_. He had almost forgotten just how much he loathed the man. They barely saw each other nowadays, too busy with their own interviews, fans, and tours. Jackson wanted to keep it that way. He was happier when the younger wasn’t on his mind. 

His expression turned sour as he trudged to the living room where the others were seated, chatting away.

“Don’t kill Doyoung hyung, we still have to watch the new Spiderman movie together!” Yugyeom exclaimed with a pout, oblivious to the negative aura surrounding Jackson.

“Why’d you want to kill him anyway?” Jinu arched his eyebrow in inquiry.

“He told Park my address,” Jackson grumbled. “Doyoung’s the only one I gave my address to that still talks to that asshole.”

Jinu sent him a concerned look and exchanged wary looks with Yugyeom afterward. Jackson returned the gaze with a questioning one.

“I miss Jinyoung hyung…” Yugyeom admitted solemnly, face tinged with resigned sadness.

“Gyeom…” Jinu warned, but the youngest continued with fervor.

“I know you’re still affected, Jackson hyung. It’s been ten years, but don’t think I haven’t noticed that you buy his books without reading them. I still see you stock up on Homerun Balls even if you’ve hated them ever since. Heck, you still sit at your balcony _every night_ to stare up at the sky for hours! Do you know how much it pains us to see you like this after all this time?”

He expected to get angry, to feel the licks of flame burning behind his eyelids. He expected to start shouting, letting his uncontrollable fury take over and defend what little pride he had left. 

The anger never came. Instead, all he felt was weariness. It was as if years’ worth of hurt and resentment already reached its peak and was now turning into a dull stupor. He slumped on the couch, between his friends, and rubbed his face in frustration.

“What you two had was special, hyung.”

✧

_‘Please please please. Please be okay. Plea- Shit!’_

_Jackson stumbled on his way to the automatic doors, water from the sudden downpour outside dripping down from his clothes and onto the immaculate white tiles of the hallway, knuckles discolored from the death-grip he had on his phone. He looked around the room with a frantic urgency, only relaxing when he saw a familiar group of people right outside a curtained-off area of the Emergency Room._

_“Gaga!”_

_He jerked his head toward Mark’s calm, but pinched voice._

_“Hyung…” Jackson knew that if he said anything more than that, he would crumble. He couldn’t let that happen. He had to be strong for Jinyoung._

_“He’s okay now. He’ll be fine. But he–” Mark bit his lip like he wasn’t sure if he should keep talking. His friend clearly wanted to tell him something, but was stopping himself for some reason._

_“Seunnie hyung,” Youngjae interrupted as he walked to him with Bambam trailing behind._

_“Youngjae… I should’ve ran after him. Doyoung said he was hit on the way to Jaebeom hyung’s house… It was such a stupid fight. I was being petty, I shouldn’t have–”_

_Youngjae cut him off with a tight hug, and Jackson choked out a sob. He raised his trembling hands to grip the back of Youngjae’s sweater and rested his head on his best friend’s shoulder. Bambam stood beside him and gave him a side-hug, sharing warmth to help him calm down. It was times like these when Jackson was thankful that his and Jinyoung’s best friends merged to be one weird group of brothers. He didn’t think he could keep himself together without them._

_“Hyung, there’s something else,” Bambam murmured as he rubbed circles on Jackson’s back. “Jinyoung hyung, he–”_

_“This has to be some sort of joke! Why the_ fuck _would I get together with Wang?!”_

_Jackson’s body went rigid, and he forgot how to breathe for a few seconds. Youngjae seemed to notice that he heard the shout coming from the far corner of the room, because the younger hugged him tighter. He pulled away from the hug and looked at his friends. He didn’t know what his expression was like, but judging from the sympathetic glances from the others, he probably looked as grief-stricken as he felt._

_“Whatever you’re thinking, I don’t think it’s a good idea, hyung…”_

_Jackson trained his eyes to the blurry figure approaching his little support group. He could feel his own tears spilling out, but he couldn’t bring himself to take a single step forward. Jaehyun walked towards him instead, handing him a steaming cup of coffee._

_“He can’t remember anything past freshman year of college,” Jaehyun explained slowly, making sure that Jackson understood the implications of the situation. He and Jinyoung only became friends toward the end of sophomore year, and got together in junior year._

_Long story short, Jinyoung still thought they were mortal enemies. His boyfriend’s last memory probably dated back to the days when Jackson used to make fun of him for reading books, and when Jinyoung told him fencing was a lame sport. Amazing._

_“I want to see him. Let me see him, Jaehyun-ah,” Jackson pleaded._

_“I really don’t think you’d want to hear all of the things he’s been saying, hyung…”_

_“Why?”_

_“He said he can’t accept that you ended up together. He said if this is what he forgot, then he didn’t want to remember anymore…”_

✧

_“What you two have is special, hyung.”_

_He stared at Yugyeom through his fringe, not even having enough energy to tilt his head up. The younger took it upon himself to barge into Jackson’s new apartment (he’d barely even unpacked), drag him out of his bed, and give him a tub of mint chocolate ice cream. It made sense that Yugyeom was worried about him; ever since Jinyoung got rushed to the hospital, Jackson had practically given up on himself. He didn’t deserve to, not after he lost one of the most precious people in his life because of his own stupidity and insecurity. He should’ve listened to Jinyoung more, he should’ve apologized in person, he should’ve trusted his boyfriend._

_But what was the point in dwelling on the hindsight when right now, he was forced to see a future without Jinyoung in it?_

_“Was, Gyeom. It_ was _special.”_

_“It still is. It isn’t like you to give up on him, hyung.”_

_“I don’t wanna give up either!” Jackson, surprised at how much energy he had left, jolted up and shoved the ice cream tub at the younger in frustration. His strength left him quickly after that, and he slumped back on the sofa, utterly defeated. “I don’t want to lose him. But you heard him back at the hospital, Yugyeom. I don’t think I can convince him to even give me a chance…”_

_“Then you just have to tell him something only the two of you would know about,” Yugyeom suggested, placing the tub gently on the coffee table. “If you told him a fact so intimate that there would be no way you’d know about it if he didn’t love you enough, then wouldn’t that change Jinyoung hyung’s mind?”_

_Jackson bit his lip in apprehension. He didn’t think it would work, but the logic was sound, and it definitely wouldn’t hurt to try._

_He tried the next day._

_Jinyoung was still in the hospital, albeit in a normal ward, and Jackson had informed Jaebeom beforehand of his plan. The older was reluctant at first and voiced out his concern that it could hurt Jackson’s feelings even more if it didn’t work, but he eventually agreed to help by convincing Jinyoung to let him talk._

_So that was how Jackson found himself standing in front of room 322, willing his hands to stop shaking before pulling the door to the side._

_He let out a slow exhale and walked towards the bed, where Jinyoung was surprisingly quiet. Sure, the younger had a permanent scowl on his face reserved just for him, but he wasn’t shouting insults and Jackson considered that a win. Jinyoung even looked mildly surprised at how subdued and nervous he probably looked._

_He took a seat by the bed, and they looked at each other in contemplative silence for a while, as if they were trying to survey each other and gauge the situation. He sighed, deciding to look out through the room’s windows and at the cloudy sky. He felt a cold veil of sadness wrap around him and seep into his skin, crawling into every crevice of his body._

_“How long does the fox stare up at the stars every night?”_

_Jackson heard a small gasp from Jinyoung, and he chanced a glance. For a split second, he saw the other’s eyes widen in shock, and hope started to flutter deep in his stomach and up to his heart._

_And then, just as quickly, Jinyoung’s face turned perfectly neutral._

_“Why would a fox stare at the stars?”_  
  
  
  
  


_“...I’d totally be reincarnated as a fox, Seun-ah.”_  
  
  
  
  


_“...Why do you like foxes so much? You make a fox the protagonist for practically every story you tell me!”_

_“That’s because the stories I tell you are the most precious ones, ok? I’ve never read these to anyone else…”_  
  
  
  


_“...Aren’t foxes supposedly cunning and sly?”_

_“Is ‘Swiper no swiping’ the only fox-related image you have in your brain?”_

_“Awww man~”_

  
  
  


_“...Foxes are_ wildly _misunderstood! I’d have you know that foxes are mostly quiet, like me. They aren’t very good at interacting with new species, like me. Scared of change, but are fiercely loyal to those they cherish. Like! Me!”_

 _“Well I_ do _like you……… Hey, stop rolling your eyes at me!”_

  
  
  
  


_“...We can rule out Swiper the Fox. He’s a terrible representation.”_

  
  
  
  


_“...You aren’t the only one who finds symbols important, Nyoung.”_

_“Why the stars, though?”_

_“I used to think that the stars represented my dreams… Don’t laugh! I was twelve!”_

_“Sorry, go on.”_

_“I mean, stars are always so far away, but they draw you in. Looking at them makes you want to do your best to reach them, you know?”_

_“I get that. But you said ‘used to’.”_

_“That was what I felt before I had you in my life.”_

  
  
  
  


_“... I don’t know if you realize it, but you’re constantly shining, Nyoung-ah.”_

_“I always thought I was a dull, dying star.”_

_“Even the dullest dying star can turn into a supernova, Jinyoung.”_

  
  
  
  
  
  


_As soon as the words left Jinyoung’s mouth, the thin thread of hope that Jackson was holding onto was cut._

_At least now he knew it_ did _hurt to try._

_And it hurt for a while._

_It hurt him to say “You and I want the same thing. Get out of my hair, and I’ll get out of yours”._

_It hurt when he stepped out of Room 322 without looking back._

_It hurt when Jaehyun told him Mino asked Jinyoung out on a date._

_It hurt when his brain kept reminding him that he was cast aside like last season’s clothes._

_And then it didn’t._

_He moved on. He finally got out of bed with a spring in his step._

_At least he hoped he did._

✧

“Stop putting ideas in my head, Gyeom. I went there to try and make amends, got the rejection of a lifetime, and was thrown to the sidelines like trash. I moved on, we’ve all moved on. End of story.” Jackson tried to sound resolute, but even he wasn’t convinced by what he just said. He took his neglected glass of beer in front of him and took a substantial gulp.

“If it’s really the end of your story, then why did he go here?” Jinu finally broke his silence, raising his eyebrow.

“Don’t know, don’t care. He has no right to show up without warning and lie to the receptionist like that,” Jackson grumbled.

“Lie?” Yugyeom commented.

“I told the receptionist that I’d have friends over and to clear you guys right away. He’s far from being my friend,” Jackson asserted, emptying his beer glass.

He could see Jinu’s somber expression from his peripheral vision and sighed.

“C’mon hyung, let’s just forget about it. It happened ages ago. I’d rather just enjoy the present.”

✧

_“I can’t lie to you Jackson… I like him.”_

_“Mino hyung why–”_

_“I just wanted to let you know ‘cause I can’t lie to you, Jackson-ah.”_

_“You… We just got together…”_

_“I don’t want to ruin your relationship. Please don’t think I’d ever do that. I just wanted to make sure you would take care of him for the both of us.”_

_“You already know I would do anything for him. But hyung… I’m terrified. I’m scared that one day, he’d realize that he couldn’t stand me again and leave me.”_

_“He wouldn’t do that. He loves you.”_

_“Then promise me, hyung. If I lose him, promise me you won’t go for him. No matter what.”_

_“I promise.”_

Jackson jolted awake to the shrill tone of an incoming call. He shook his head to get his bearings, and clenched his trembling hand into a fist. He hadn’t allowed himself to think of that memory for ten long years, and yet his own brain betrayed him. Why did Jinyoung have to show up after all this time? They were already doing so well. They didn’t need each other anymore.

_What if he showed up last night because he needed help…?_

He quickly dispelled the thought, filling his mind with reasons to keep his grudge against Jinyoung to remind him that he didn’t need the author in his life. 

Jackson realized belatedly that his phone was still ringing, and searched for it, grateful for the distraction. He let a soft smile grace his face when he saw who it was.

“Yah Choi Youngjae, why are you calling me this early on my day off?”

✧

“What the fuck are _they_ doing here, Mark?” Jackson hissed, alternating his glare between Mark and his ex, who was standing on the other side of Jaebeom and Youngjae’s living room, laughing at something Mino said.

When Youngjae told him “the usuals” were hanging out to celebrate his birthday in advance, Jackson didn’t expect to see their old group of friends. The eleven of them had already lost touch over the past ten years, and the younger actually had the _audacity_ to put him, Jinyoung, and Mino in one room? He knew it was Youngjae’s birthday in a few days, but he didn’t think the younger was the type to love seeing him suffer like this.

Mark just let out a prolonged sigh.

“Look, Jackson. We’ve actually been hanging out with them for a while,” his friend shot him a pointed look to shut him up, as if he knew Jackson was about to call him a traitor. “The rest of us are tired of walking on eggshells around you and Jinyoung, so we wanted to bring everyone together again.”

“Why did you guys think this was a good idea?” Jackson grumbled.

“Bambam, Jaebeom, Doyoung, and Jinyoung are still like brothers to me, you know? I missed them a lot…”

“You didn’t miss Mino?” He joked in an intentionally sharp tone.

“That’s a different story entirely,” Mark replied, his expression perfectly neutral.

“I’ll just give my well-wishes to Youngjae and go. I’m pretty sure I’ll ruin the vibe completely if I stay longer than five minutes.”

“Gaga–”

“Sorry hyung, I don’t think I can do this. Not yet…”

_Not now, when my emotions are all over the place just because he decided to show up again after ignoring me all this time._

✧

Over the next few weeks, his friends had been attempting to push their agenda multiple times. They planned movie nights, sleep overs, bowling, and had once dragged him to one of Jinyoung’s book signing events.

To his horror, it was starting to work. They were somewhat on speaking terms after years of radio silence.

Of course, Jackson wasn’t going to make it easy for _anyone_. He still jibed at Jinyoung any chance he could get, and intentionally tried to bait the other to fight back on numerous occasions.

What pissed Jackson off the most was that Jinyoung never raised his voice at him; not even once. The other would just wince and avoid eye contact like Jackson wasn’t even worth the effort. 

How could his friends expect him to go back to normal with this prick if the other was making it so _difficult_? 

At this point, Jackson’s pent up anger had dissipated into little embers of irritation and turmoil. Was he really going to ignore his own hurt for someone who didn’t even want to acknowledge the wreckage he left in his wake?

Of course he was.

And strangely enough, the first thought that popped up in his head to justify his actions wasn’t that he was merely kowtowing to his friends’ wishes. 

It was that Jinyoung only hurt him because of his amnesia, and that he deserved a second chance.

_What the heck is wrong with me?_

He grunted, rolling out of his comfortable bed and making his way to his en-suite bathroom. He blinked hard to ignore the _‘12 unread messages’_ notification flashing in front of him (these cornea implants really were his favorite investment; he felt as cool as Tony Stark!). Jackson didn’t feel the need to check them and be reminded of his impending doom. In three hours, the eleven of them would meet up at Bambam’s gastropub in Hongdae. 

They wanted to add alcohol to the mix. 

Wonderful. 

He was just going to pretend that it wasn’t a recipe for disaster.

He finished his shower and changed into a white v-neck, black pinstriped pants, and draped a baby pink coat over his shoulders. He gave the outfit a once-over, and decided to tie his hair up in a loose high ponytail once he deemed himself presentable enough for Bam’s posh pub.

Jackson took his wallet and keys, then went down to his trusty white Audi. He gave his car an appreciative pat before sliding in the driver’s seat. A lot of his friends had questioned his decision to not buy a hover-car like everyone else, but there was definitely comfort in the classic purring of his car’s engine. That, and he had the whole “ground vehicles” lane to himself most of the time – the best way to avoid Seoul traffic.

He searched through his contacts until he found Mark’s name and hit call. His friend answered after the third ring.

“Hyung, are you ready? I’m about to leave the apartment.”

“I’ll wait for you by the front entrance. See you in twenty?”

“Yeah, then we have to pass by Jinu hyung too.”

“Alright, Mr. Uber driver.”

“You better give me a five-star rating!”

Mark responded with a high-pitched laugh and ended the call. Jackson grinned and pulled out of the parking lot.

✧

True to Jackson’s no-traffic advantage, they pulled up at the pub ten minutes early. He parked the car by the corner of the street, and the three of them walked the rest of the short trek to their destination. When they pulled open the glass door, it was apparent that Bambam closed the establishment for a day just to entertain their little group. Jackson took a good look around the place, and was thoroughly impressed. 

The last time he had been here was during its soft opening three years ago. Back then, the pub had minimal decor, and Bam opted for an all-wood aesthetic. Granted, the whole area still adopted the homey wooden atmosphere, but now there were sleek space-gray steel accents on the chairs, and the main bar had a white marble countertop. The walls were lined with all kinds of expensive spirits, and tasteful art pieces adorned the back of the bar. He felt pride swell in his chest at the younger’s efforts, and allowed a small grin to find its way on his face. Bambam had come a long way from being the lost and confused foreign student who loved to annoy his hyungs.

 _He still loves to annoy us, though._ Jackson thought as the menace in question finally noticed them from the bar and waved enthusiastically.

“Hey hyungs! You’re early for once!” Bambam grinned and pat Mark’s shoulder in greeting. Jinu just rolled his eyes and punched the youngest’s arm softly.

“Gyeom’s already at the booth. Help yourself to some of the Blue Label on the table before the competition arrives to finish the bottle,” Bambam suggested and led them to the long booth set up for them near the back of the room. Yugyeom was indeed there, but had a half-empty bottle of beer in front of him instead; the other had never gotten into whiskey, not even when he hit the ripe whiskey-club age of thirty.

Jackson sat beside the younger and slung his arm over his shoulder in greeting as he waited for his turn to make his drink. He took a whiskey ice from the stasis tray in front of him and placed it in his glass. He liked whiskey on the rocks, and it amused him to see Yugyeom’s pinched expression in his periphery. 

“I don’t understand how you can drink that stuff, hyung…” Yugyeom mumbled with a grimace.

“I don’t understand how you still have the alcohol palette of a college frat boy either, so we’re even,” he retorted smoothly, and Yugyeom made his ‘ _touché_ ’ face in response.

As it slowly approached 8pm, the others started filing in. Youngjae and Jaebeom naturally sat together, but made sure to express how happy they were that Jackson showed up. He could almost admit to himself how much he missed hanging out with everyone like this.

_Those were simpler times._

_Happier times._

To his surprise, Doyoung and Jaehyun took the seats directly in front of him, leaving the two seats to his left open for the last two who arrived. And it just so happened that the two missing people were Jinyoung and Mino. Great. This was going to be an interesting night, to say the least.

_I wonder if Jinyoung is still shit at holding his alcohol._

As if the whole universe was mocking him for his current train of thought, the table turned eerily quiet and he heard some footsteps approach the table. He glanced up to see the two people on the planet he least wanted to spend time with.

Jackson dutifully (and _objectively_ ) noted, though, that Jinyoung looked nothing short of beautiful in his beige slacks, black and white round neck, and loose denim jacket. He sneered, trying his best to dispel the remnants of attraction at the back of his mind. He was supposed to be _angry_ , damnit.

Jinyoung seemed to stop short and gape at him, rooted in his spot. The other’s gaze shifted from Jackson to the empty seat beside him, obviously looking like he was debating internally. Jackson decided to end Jinyoung’s inner turmoil by subtly pulling out the chair like it was an invitation. The younger shot him a surprised look, but decided to sit beside him anyway. Mino took the last remaining seat.

He felt the atmosphere finally lighten up a little, and it seemed to be the cue for Bambam to stand from his seat at the far end of the table and walk towards the bar again.

“First round’s on me!” The owner of the pub exclaimed, and everyone at the table shook their heads in amusement (or, possibly, concern). Bambam was definitely acting like their glasses of whiskey didn’t count as their first official round, and some people were rightfully worried that this night would turn into a wild, drunken mess of a reunion. 

Everyone was eventually engaged in random yet animated conversations about topics he could hardly follow properly. Even Mino was in a passionate discussion with Jaebeom, Youngjae, and Jaehyun about something.

He saw Jinyoung’s face scrunch up in distaste, possibly at the smell of all the whiskey.

“What, Park, too much of a wimp to appreciate the quality of a Blue Label?” Jackson taunted, casting out his fishing line and waiting for Jinyoung to bite. He half-expected the younger to ignore his jibe, so he was a bit surprised that Jinyoung took the bait and tugged back on the line.

“Shut up, Wang. You and I both know I’m a vodka guy,” Jinyoung rolled his eyes slightly and Jackson could see the corner of his lips rise a little. For the first time since they saw each other again, he could see a bit of the fire in Jinyoung’s eyes. Jinyoung finally gave him a snarky quip instead of a constipated wince.

“ _You_? A vodka guy? I bet you won’t even stay upright after half a shot,” Jackson countered, raising his eyebrow at the other in challenge.

“Oh you’re _so_ on,” Jinyoung had a wide grin on his face, and his eye whiskers even made an appearance.

Jackson felt something clench in his chest. How long had it been since he saw the other’s smile directed at him? They were far from being friends again, but why did it feel so satisfying to see Jinyoung like this?

_This is dangerous, Jackson. Stop. They’re getting married. Keep your distance._

As if fate was drilling the thought into his mind, he caught Mino’s gaze from behind Jinyoung. The other was giving him a dangerously contemplative look, as if to say _“I know what’s going on.”_

He returned Jinyoung’s grin with a strained smile of his own and stood from his seat abruptly.

“I need to get some air first,” he mumbled, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear with his shaking hand. “I’ll be back with some shots.”

He made his way outside, inhaling deeply as the cold breeze brushed his face. He sat by the curb, and looked up at the night sky. The sky was never really clear in Seoul, but he could see some stars shimmering in the distance. He always felt like the stars held the solutions to all his problems.

_Does he still stare up at you every night like I do?_

✧

“Hey babe, Bambam just invited us to 7th Heaven tonight at 8.”

Jinyoung forced himself not to grimace again. He was still not used to Mino calling him by any form of endearment, but ever since Jackson rejected him a few weeks prior, he slowly felt the resignation creep up on him. The date of their wedding was fast approaching, and try as he might, he couldn’t figure out what went wrong with his Pivotal. 

All he wanted was to go back home, but he needed answers. And as the days went by, he was gradually starting to realize that maybe it was just easier to give up; to go with the flow, and let this alternate timeline run its course. Mino was still his best friend, and he was a good man. It definitely hurt Jinyoung, but if Jackson wouldn’t even spare him a glance, he would pick his best friend’s happiness over his own.

But somehow, his other friends never got the memo.

They still kept trying to get them to talk, for some odd reason. Not that Jinyoung was complaining. He’d take every chance he could to try and get past Jackson’s hatred for him and straight through Jackson’s icy heart.

Their efforts just messed up Jinyoung’s emotions even more, if he were being honest. Every attempt to get all of them to hang out made him feel genuine happiness and simultaneously drove a knife through his heart.

On one hand, he was pleasantly surprised that Jackson was actually _trying_ , and on the other, he already had a fiancé. A fiancé who was currently picking an outfit for him to wear to their pub night.

“Tell Bam we’ll be there,” he replied as he flicked his wrist to flip another page of the holo-book he was currently reading on the bed.

“Already did,” Mino smiled and climbed into the bed, taking Jinyoung’s holo-book away. His best friend started wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, and Jinyoung felt the dread punch him in the gut. “We still have a few hours to prepare, you know, we could…”

He fought the bile rising up his throat and bit his lip. He knew where this was going, and he decidedly did _not_ want it to go there. He made a noncommittal sound at the back of his throat and lay down with his back turned to the older. He told himself to go with the flow so he wouldn’t hurt his best friend, but it didn’t mean he was comfortable doing anything more than a random peck on the cheek or a cuddle.

“I’m not in the mood,” he mumbled, praying to whatever entity was up there that Mino would take the bluff.

“Oh, alright then…” he could hear the mild disappointment in Mino’s voice, and he winced. He hated disappointing his friends, but what else was he supposed to do?

“W-We could just cuddle and take a nap?” Jinyoung suggested softly, and he could feel renewed energy radiate from behind him. Mino plopped into position and snaked his hands around Jinyoung’s waist. The older nuzzled at his nape and planted a soft kiss there. 

It was so difficult to stop himself from crying.

✧

The moment he and Mino finally arrived at 7th Heaven, he was so floored that he physically stopped in his tracks.

If his breath was taken away the first time he saw Jackson, with his long red hair and rugged charm, this time he’d forgotten how to breathe altogether.

Thirty-four-year-old Jackson wasn’t just breathtaking, he was _hot as hell_.

_I have a fiancé. I committed to going with the flow. I committed. I committed. I committed. Oh God, I can see his tattoos more clearly now–_

He swallowed down his dry throat so he wouldn’t choke on his own spit, and walked stiffly to the free seat. Beside his ex-boyfriend. Who was, ostensibly, sex on legs. 

Fate was a cruel, cruel thing. 

The pool of arousal was already simmering in his belly, and it wound him up so tight that he sat ramrod straight in his seat. He was lucky that everyone else interpreted his behavior as a reaction to the general awkwardness in the atmosphere.

He was so tense that he ended up snapping back at Jackson when the other tried to rile him up. He didn’t even remember exactly what he said to the older, but it seemed to make Jackson grin.

“You? A vodka guy? I bet you won’t even stay upright after half a shot of vodka,”

“Oh you’re _so_ on,” he replied, a bit more aware of the situation. The tension seemed to seep away to the corners of his mind, and he even relaxed enough to return Jackson’s grin.

For some reason, he had a taste of the good old days. It was such a short conversation, but ever since Doyoung sent him here, he never felt more like _himself_.

Just as he saw the flicker of nostalgia in Jackson’s eyes, the older’s expression quickly turned cold again. It looked like Jackson was trying hard to shut him off, even if he was saying he’d be back after getting them some shots for the bet. 

He must’ve said something wrong. He finally had a chance, but he ruined it for himself.

“Jinyoung-ah, can I talk to you for a second?”

He jolted in his seat and turned to the voice, tilting his head at Mino’s serious tone. Well, serious enough for someone who’s already had three glasses of clean whiskey.

“What’s up? Why do you sound like we’re in the office instead of at the pub with our friends?”

“Not here. Let’s go outside,” Mino mumbled quietly with a pinched look on his face.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jinyoung asked, holding the other’s wrist, his thumb drawing random patterns on Mino’s pulse point in what he hoped to be a comforting gesture. “Did I do something?” _Did I hurt you?_

“No, no. I just really need to get this off my chest. Please?” Mino looked like whatever he had to say was eating him up inside, and Jinyoung tugged his arm to lead him outside. He saw Jackson sitting at a curb nearby, but he went the opposite way and kept walking until they chanced upon an empty playground some ways away from Bambam’s gastropub. 

He guessed that Mino wanted their conversation to be private, but this would have to do. They sat at the swings in silence for a few moments before his fiancé started to speak.

“Yoon’s back.”

_What?_

“Am I missing something here?”

“No I… I just never told you. I never told anyone,” Mino bit his lip, unable to look Jinyoung in the eye.

“Told me what?”

Mino sighed in frustration before he rubbed his face.

“Do you remember Yoon?”

Jinyoung scrunched his eyebrows together, his mind too full of turbulent emotions to sift through his memories. It took him a while, but his eyes eventually lit up in recognition. “Kang Seungyoon? Weren’t you guys classmates in junior year?”

As far as Jinyoung remembered, Mino and Seungyoon were close friends, but Yoon never hung out with the whole group. He still had no idea why Mino was reminding him of this because he never knew what happened to them after 2018.

“Yeah we were…” Mino trailed off, looking like he was trying to piece together his explanation. “I’m gonna be completely honest with you, Nyoung. I used to like you even before you got together with Jackson. I even came clean to Jackson and– _fuck_ I’m such a dick!”

He blinked in surprise and rested his hand on Mino’s arm, sending some warmth to his best friend. He was still confused himself, but Mino was surely hurting and he hated to see it.

_If he told Jackson– Is that why Jackson was so angry that day?_

“I– I promised him I wouldn’t go for you no matter what…” the older whispered, his voice cracking from the weight of his emotions. “And I did right by that promise. I swear I did. I did my best to hide my feelings for you, and buried them so there wouldn’t be any problems. That’s when I got closer to Yoon. He helped me move on, and I eventually loved him instead.”

“I’m sorry Minho,” Jinyoung mumbled, fumbling with the hem of his denim jacket.

“It’s not your fault you loved someone else, Nyoung,” Mino replied, smiling. “I’m glad you didn’t love me. I wouldn’t have loved Seungyoon otherwise. We became a couple a few months after you and Jackson got together, but we never told anyone about it.”

They lapsed into silence for a while, neither wanting to break the peace and both trying to process their own thoughts and feelings.

“Then Yoon left me three years ago.”

Jinyoung looked up to see Mino staring up at the night sky. He felt a pang in his chest; maybe Mino was trying to look to the stars for answers too. He stayed silent, knowing the other would continue in his own time.

“He had to move to the States for work, and he didn’t think a long distance relationship was gonna work out,” Mino continued. “I was so _mad_. I didn’t think Yoon trusted me – trusted _us_. We were in a relationship for seven years, and he let go of us so easily. It broke me, Nyoung. I didn’t know what I was doing, but you and Jackson broke up because of the accident and–”

“Accident?” Jinyoung interrupted. Every time he asked Doyoung how exactly he and Jackson broke up, the younger would deflect the question and tell him he had to figure it out on his own. This was entirely new information to him, and he didn’t know how to pretend to know half of what Mino was talking about.

“Your accident? You got hit by a truck and you forgot everything after freshman year. Jinyoung, I’m pretty sure I drank way more than you tonight. Did you forget?”

An accident. He was in an accident.

He forgot everything past freshman year.

He forgot about _him and Jackson_.

_He has every right to hate my guts. I must’ve been awful to him…_

“O-Oh yeah, right. The– uh… The accident.”

“I was so heartbroken and _so_ desperate. I went to your apartment that same day and cried to you without you even knowing why. You just let me lie on your lap and pieced me back together in one night,” Mino’s voice was cracking up, and Jinyoung knew that the other was trying to hold back his tears.

“Jinyoung, I think we should call off the wedding.”

_What?_

“I–”

His head was spinning and he didn’t know how to tell it to stop.

“Why?”

_I was going to marry you to keep you happy. Are you not happy with me?_

_Is nobody happy with me?_

“Don’t you understand? I used you. I loved you, but you were still a rebound. I only asked you to be in a relationship with me because I wanted to fill the void Yoon left,” Mino explained with a pained expression on his face.

He didn’t think he could hurt himself even more by resigning himself to his alternative fate, but he did. He was so careful not to hurt his best friend that he let his best friend hurt him instead.

“You– Do you not love me?”

_Does anyone love me?_

“I love you, Jinyoung. I love you more than you know. But my heart knows I want to try to have Seungyoon back in my life again.”

Jinyoung nodded weakly, vision turning blurry.

“Why are you telling me all this just now?”

“Something changed these past few weeks, Jinyoung… You–” Mino paused, taking in a shaky breath. “I needed a sign to know that you would be okay after I told you this. And I saw it tonight.”

Jinyoung sent Mino a bewildered stare.

_What sign is he talking about?_

Mino probably interpreted his silence as a full-stop to their conversation, because the older stood and held a hand out for him to take. Jinyoung sat still, staring at the outstretched hand and unable to move.

“You go ahead, Minho. I need time to clear my head.” 

“I’m so sorry, Jinyoung. I’m sorry I hurt you. You know I still love you a lot, right?”

He nodded meekly in response. A few moments later, Mino turned and stepped away wordlessly. He heard the sound of Mino’s footsteps get softer as he walked out of earshot, and Jinyoung finally let a sob burst out of him.

He felt like he was being crushed under the weight of everything that was happening to him, and cried. He didn’t think he was the type to break down, but he felt so many different emotions all at once – confusion, pain, exhaustion, desperation, and loneliness mixing together and pressing down on him like Sisyphus’ boulder. 

He was tired of all of this. Mino called the wedding off, he was dumped in a time and place he barely knew anymore, he had no memory of the ten years he skipped, and to top it all off, Jackson still hated him. 

He must’ve looked pathetic sitting in the middle of an empty playground. He had his head in his hands, sobs and whimpers going out into the night, and tears painting the playground sand into a darker shade of gray.

“I miss my Seunnie… _Please_ give him back to me.”

As soon as he whispered those words through his fingers, he felt the warmth of a body standing in front of him. His whole body went rigid in shock, and he didn’t dare move a muscle. Then he felt the other person pull him into their chest and nuzzle into his hair.

He cried even harder because he knew _exactly_ who it was.

✧

Jinyoung hesitated at the open entrance to Jackson’s apartment. The last time he was here, he was asked to leave, and Jackson hadn’t uttered a _single_ _word_ since he led Jinyoung to his car (he wished he wasn’t so distraught; he would’ve appreciated the car more). He sniffled and rubbed at his eyes as he stared at the threshold of Jackson’s home, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

Jackson glanced back at him, and they locked eyes. The other must’ve seen the apprehension in his expression because Jackson’s gaze turned soft and before he knew it, his hand was enveloped in Jackson’s. He was pulled through the entrance and led to the comfy-looking couch in the living room.

The red-haired man motioned for him to sit and walked to the hallway that presumably led to the bedrooms, only to come back with a comforter that was so large and fluffy it almost blocked Jackson’s vision. Something in Jinyoung’s mind clicked, reminded of what the older would usually do when Jinyoung needed something to ground him.

His hunch was confirmed when Jackson popped to the kitchen and came back with a steaming mug of hot chocolate a few minutes after. He peered in the mug and smiled when he saw some Homerun Balls floating on top. He took the drink and Jackson wordlessly draped the comforter over his back like a cape. The older sat at the corner of the couch, and with a grin, opened his arms in invitation.

Jinyoung bit his lip to suppress a sob as he crawled into Jackson’s cocoon of warmth, cradling the drink and resting his head on the older’s chest.

He was silently basking in the comfort that Jackson provided, and Jackson just murmured indecipherable words in his hair. 

“I’ve missed this…” Jinyoung said against Jackson’s chest.

“Do you– Are you starting to remember?”

Jinyoung opted to give an ambiguous answer, too tired to talk about any of the messy time travel details.

“Bits and pieces.”

“I tried to call you– back then. To apologize.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. It wrecked me that day. You rejected my call, and the next thing I knew, I got a call from Mark saying you were rushed to the hospital. It was awful.”

Jinyoung’s eyes widened a fraction, feeling the tide of realization crash against the shore that was his mind.

_This is it. This was my Pivotal._

He inhaled deeply, and finally allowed himself to relax against Jackson’s reassuring embrace.

For the rest of the night, they talked to each other in hushed whispers. They were afraid to break the comfortable bubble they were in but unable to keep their untold stories to themselves.

Neither of them kept track of how long they mumbled to each other, but the sheer exhaustion started to catch up to him, and soon enough, he was lulled into the most peaceful sleep he had in weeks.

✧

_Despite being blinded by the darkness, the fox leapt forward, trusting his instinct._

_He was trembling in his own fur, terrified of the darkness and the danger within it. He went on, heeding neither the pain as sharp rocks scratched his skin, nor the cold wind as it nearly turned his paws into ice._

_He lost all sense of time and direction, but still, he pushed on. He kept running toward the path that was set by his own heart, and after days of trial and torment, he saw a blinding light._

_The fox felt his fur bristle at the warmth surrounding him, letting the fear wash away._

_For he was finally with his beloved stars._

✧

The next time Jinyoung opened his eyes, he almost panicked because he didn’t wake up in Jackson’s arms.

In fact, he woke up standing, which was an odd sensation. As he regained consciousness, he slowly became aware of what was around him. 

His eyes were strangely blurry with tears, and he could hear cars honking in the distance. Was he outside?

He blinked and some wayward tears fell from his eyes to give him a clearer view. He was standing on a sidewalk. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but everything _felt_ different.

He trained a frantic glance to the street in front of him, and gasped audibly when he saw all the cars on the ground. 

Could it be?

With a quivering hand, he looked down and focused on the phone in his palm, desperate to have some confirmation. He felt more at ease when he saw his solid black phone instead of a translucent one, but he needed to know for sure. After the past few weeks, he needed something tangible to anchor him.

He bit his lip and screwed his eyes shut, trying to calm his nerves before he unlocked his phone. He peeped through his narrowed eyes, both hopeful and absolutely terrified. He let out a relieved breath when he finally saw the date on the lock screen.

September 12, 2018

_I’m back!_

This time, he welcomed the shrill ring of his phone. He wiped the tears off his face and smiled as he saw the caller’s name.

_Wang Gae ❤️_

He couldn’t wait to pick up the call.

**_“Jinyoung I–”_ **

“Are you still home?” Jinyoung asked, unable to keep the excited grin from spreading across his face.

**_“Yeah.”_ **

He ended the call in a rush, footsteps light as he ran back to their shared apartment ( _their_ apartment!). He typed in their door’s password with trembling hands and pulled it open with so much force he thought it would fly off its hinges.

Then Jinyoung’s breath got caught in his throat because there he was, standing right on the other side of the entrance.

 _His_ Jackson.

They locked gazes for a while, and it was as if time stopped just for the two of them. Completely on impulse, Jinyoung sprang forward and kissed the older, wrapping his arms around Jackson’s neck. His boyfriend let out a surprised squeak, but held his waist in a firm grip nonetheless. He was finally safe; was loved.

He was _home_.

They somehow made their way to the bedroom without breaking the kiss and fell to the bed together. They broke into a giggle fit and wrestled around the sheets for a while before Jackson scooped him up into his arms.

“I’m so sorry. My insecurities got the best of me and I lashed out on you for no reason,” the older mumbled remorsefully and tightened his grip around Jinyoung’s waist. Jinyoung pressed into the crook of Jackson’s neck and sighed in content.

“I’m sorry too. I was being insensitive.”

“I don’t ever want to fight like this again.”

“Baby… We’ll fight, we’ll make mistakes, and we’re probably gonna mess things up along the way,” Jinyoung countered, cupping Jackson’s cheek. “But we’ll be alright. We’ll get through those.”

Jackson gave him a watery smile in response and kissed the inside of his wrist in adoration. Jinyoung leaned forward and captured Jackson’s lips in his again, trying to convey all the emotions he was feeling in a single, tender kiss. They stared at each other and stayed in their embrace, lost in each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity.

“This may sound super random, but I really think you should grow your hair out,” Jinyoung whispered with a grin as he ran his fingers through Jackson’s soft brown locks.

✧

_Once upon a time, in the depths of the magical woodland,_

_there lived a fox._

_The fox cherished the stars so much that he asked the Forest Queen to bring him closer to the dancing lights he loved immeasurably._

_“I can grant your wish, little fox. But it will not be an easy journey. You must prove the purity of your love.”_

_“I am prepared, your Highness. It is but a small price to feel the warmth I chose to cherish.”_

_“Go. The stars await. I pray that in the midst of uncertainty and darkness, you may find your light.”_


End file.
